Pump locking device



May 1, 1934.

UP STROKE Filed Jan. 13, 1951 FIE..l-

gwwntoz abbomu i atented May 1,

UNITED STATS FAT Pics PUMP LOCKING DEVICE George W. Fuller,

5 Claims.

My present invention, in its broad aspect, has reference to improvements in means for arresting and stopping the motion of a pumping piston, when the supply of substance to be pumped has 5 decreased or fallen below a certain level or quantity, or has become exhausted; thereby avoiding continuing to actuate the piston and pumping apparatus after the supply is no longer available. More particularly it is my purpose to provide means whereby the piston of a pump unit is positively locked against further movement when the supply of substance has fallen below a certain level or has become exhausted.

In certain conventional types of dispensing pumps, the substance or fluid to be pumped is stored in a container which is in communication with the cylinder of a conventional pumping unit, having a reciprocating piston. An illustration of this type of dispensing apparatus is found in the usual gasoline or fuel oil pump, or pumps for dispensing lubricating oil. It is my purpose to provide in conjunction with the pumping unit of such an apparatus, a pivoted or rock- 7 ing latch, the movement of which is controlled by the level of fluid in the container; which latch is arranged to be inoperative and ineffective when there is a supply of substance to be pumped, but which is moved or rocked to its effective or operative position when the substance to be pumped falls below a certain level. When in the operative position, the lock or latch positively engages the pumping piston at the end of its down or intake stroke so that the piston can no longer move thereby positively indicating the condition of the supply of substance to be pumped in the container, preventing delivery of short measure, and the like.

Among the many advantages and objects of my invention may be enumerated briefly the following; first, my lock is simple in construction and has but five parts; i. e. the latch itself, the latch bracket or support, the pivot pin, the flanged collar on the piston, and the float; second, my device is absolutely positive in operation, has no springs, and the like, to get out of order; and will not become out of repair, worn or broken in use; third, it can be installed in many conventional types of dispensing pump apparatus without appreciably changing or modifying their construction; fourth, when the supply of substance is reduced to a certain level or is exhausted the lock works automatically, and positively, and, fifth, the device can be manufactured, sold and distributed as an accessory at relatively small 5551-" cost.

Los Angeles, Calif., assignor to 0., Los Angeles, Calif.

1931, Serial No. 508,500

Other and equally important objects and advantages will become apparent as the description proceeds, but it is emphasized that interpretation of the invention should only be conclusive in the light of the claims appended hereunto and forming a part hereof.

In the drawing wherein is illustrated one of the principal embodiments of my invention;-

Figure l is a sectional side view of a pumping unit equipped with my lock, and

Figure 2 is a top plan view thereof.

Like characters of reference are used to designate like or similar parts throughout the several views of the drawings, in which:-

The numeral (1) designates the cylinder of a conventional pumping unit for a dispensing apparatus, and (2) is the piston working therein, and designed to draw up the substance into the cylinder from a source or" supply such as a container c. The piston has the usual rod (3), and is valve controlled as at (4), and has the usual packing washers (5). The valve assembly (4) has a threaded seat formed with an annular flange (6). On the lower end of the cylinder is threadedly engaged a bracket or support ('7) which will be hereinafter referred to.

The support ('7) has an annular body part (8) and an upstanding internally threaded flange (9), and an extension (10); the extension (10) is channeled as at (11) to receive therein the pivoted or rocking member (12) which works on a pin (13). The pivoted or rocking member (12) is substantially U -shaped and has a lateral extension (14) carrying a float (15). The U-shaped part has the relatively parallel, upstanding portions (12a) and (12b), and the portion (120.) has a hooked end (16). Held in place by the part (6) of the piston is a locking collar (1'7) which has an inwardly and upwardly bent lip or flange (18), with which the hooked end of the locking member is adapted to be engaged. The float (15) is attached to the extension (14) preferably by screws (19). The collar 17 with the lip 18, as will be evident from Fig. 1, is adapted to engage the shoulder of support 7 to protect the lower packing washer 5 against buckling in the event that the operating handle (not shown) is disconnected from the rod 3, as for instance when the pump is being assembled or repaired. Thus, the collar 17, 18 has a dual function, namely, its latch-engaging function and the function of protecting the lower packing washer 5 as recited above. It is also to be observed that the latch and float are bodily removed and cleared out of the way by simply unscrewing ring 8.

The operation of my device is as follows; when the container 0 is full or has a sufficient supply of substance to be pumped therein, the float is raised to the dotted line position shown in Figure 1, and the member 12 is also in the dotted line position with the hooked end (16) out of the path of the lip (18) of the locking collar on the piston (2) as it is reciprocated up and down. Now, assuming that the level of liquid in the container falls below the desired level; the float will no longer be supported and will fall to the full line position, rocking the locking member so that the hooked end will intercept the path of the lip (18) of the locking collar at the end of the down stroke of the piston, hooking over the lip and preventing further movement or reciprocation of the piston until more fluid or substance is placed in the container to again raise the float and release the hooked end from the lip.

Accordingly it will be seen that the operation of my device is positive, automatic, and largely foolproof, but since minor changes in construction and shape and position of the parts may be expedient in practice, it is again emphasized that the scope of the invention should only be determined by the claims appended hereto.

I claim:

1. The combination with the cylinder and piston of a pump dispensing unit having a fluid container for substance to be pumped; of a locking ring carried by the piston within the cylinder and formed with an annular lip, a support carried by the cylinder adjacent one end, and a latch pivoted on the support and extending upwardly into the cylinder, said latch being adapted to engage the lip of the locking ring, said latch having a float in the fluid container for actuating the same to move it to an operative position with respect to the locking ring when the supply of fluid in the container falls below a certain level.

2. In the combination with the cylinder and piston of a pump dispensing unit having a container for substance to be pumped; of a support on the cylinder, a U-shaped locking member pivoted on the support and having a lateral extension, a float carried by the lateral extension for moving the locking member in accordance with the liquid level of substance to be pumped, a locking ring carried by the piston and formed with an annular inturned lip, and the locking member having a hooked end adapted to engage the lip at the end of the down stroke of the piston when the level of substance to be pumped has fallen below a certain point.

3. In a pump locking device for dispensing apparatus, a cylinder to be mounted in a tank containing material to be pumped, an annular support having an extension fixed to the lower edge of the cylinder, a U-shaped locking member pivoted on the support at the extension of the same, said member having a lateral extension on its outer arm and a hook formed on the inner one, a float carried by the lateral extension for moving the locking member in accordance with the liquid level of the substance to be pumped; a piston working in the cylinder, and a locking ring carried on the lower portion of the piston and formed with an annular inturned lip for engaging the hooked end of the locking member at the end of the down stroke of the piston when the substance to be pumped has fallen below a certain point.

4. In a dispensing unit including a fluid container and a cylinder and piston pump therein, a locking member on the piston and within said cylinder, a hooked latch carried by the cylinder and extending axially inwardly thereinto from adjacent one end, the hooked part of the latch to engage the locking member when the piston has approximately reached one end of its stroke, and a float carried by the latch to hold the latch in an inoperative position when the fluid level is adjacent one end of said container.

5. The combination with the cylinder and piston of a pump dispensing unit having a fluid container for the substance to be pumped; of a locking member on the piston, packing carried by the piston and engaging the cylinder wall, said locking member extending beyond the plane of the end of said packing, operating means for the piston, said cylinder having an end abutment adapted to be engaged by said locking member when the operating means is disconnected whereby the locking means protects the packing from engagement with said abutment, and a float operated latch carried by the cylinder for engaging said locking member when the fluid in the container reaches a predetermined level.

GEORGE WM. FULLER. 

